Abstract
Increasing human population and various developmental activities in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which lies in one of the most bio-diverse regions of the world, has caused large-scale deforestation, pushing a large number of native tree species to the serious verge of elimination from their native forest. In such tribal-dominated landscapes around the world, myriads of studies have emphasized the potential of homegardens as a site for local biodiversity conservation as they are known to have a huge Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) on the use of diverse native floras. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to investigate if the native communities of the Mishmi tribe conserved native indigenous tree species in their homegardens and if they are grown then what is the future of these tree species? It was hypothesized that harbouring greater indigenous knowledge implies greater domestication of tree species in their homegardens. Altogether, 103 species of trees were recorded from 243 homegardens in the present study. Although the native species constituted more than half of the species diversity, they, however, greatly lagged in all other aspects of the study such as population share, frequency distribution and regeneration potential. Native tree species constituted just 37% of the total tree population. Only two species, Bauhinia variegata L. and Alnus nepalensis D. Don, made up the major bulk of the native population. In terms of frequency distribution, only a handful of native species maintained a decent presence in the homegardens. Most of the native species grew naturally in unmanaged homegardens. The regeneration potential of all native species was very poor, including B. variegata. The study demonstrates that out of the 76 native species recorded from the region, only 7 species can rightfully be regarded as being domesticated by virtue of IKS of the Mishmi community. Our study concludes that the native species do exist in large number in homegardens of the rural tribal areas, but most of the native wild species exist in the rural homegardens not because they are planted/preferred but because they just happen to randomly grow there since most of the homegardens of tribal household are unmanaged or poorly managed, thereby giving way to wild species to germinate, at least until the owner decides to weed them out.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
The survey recorded 103 tree species in 243 homegardens.
Verbatim
e0“Altogether, 103 species of trees were recorded from 243 homegardens in the present study.”
Claim · model-written summary
Native species represented more than half the species diversity but lagged in population share, frequency distribution and regeneration potential.
Verbatim
e0“Although the native species constituted more than half of the species diversity, they, however, greatly lagged in all other aspects of the study such as population share, frequency distribution and regeneration potential.”
t0“native trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Native tree species accounted for 37% of the tree population.
Verbatim
e0“Native tree species constituted just 37% of the total tree population.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bauhinia variegata and Alnus nepalensis together made up the bulk of the native population.
- Taxon
- Bauhinia variegata L. and Alnus nepalensis D. Don
Alnus nepalensis
Bauhinia variegatae0 - Outcome
- major bulk of the native populatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Only two species, Bauhinia variegata L. and Alnus nepalensis D. Don, made up the major bulk of the native population.”
Claim · model-written summary
Only a handful of native species had a decent frequency of presence in homegardens.
Verbatim
e0“In terms of frequency distribution, only a handful of native species maintained a decent presence in the homegardens.”
t0“native trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Most native species grew naturally in unmanaged homegardens.
Verbatim
e0“Most of the native species grew naturally in unmanaged homegardens.”
t0“native trees”
Claim · model-written summary
All native species had very poor regeneration potential, including B. variegata.
Verbatim
e0“The regeneration potential of all native species was very poor, including B. variegata.”
t0“native trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Only 7 of 76 native species could be regarded as domesticated through Mishmi indigenous knowledge.
Verbatim
e0“out of the 76 native species recorded from the region, only 7 species can rightfully be regarded as being domesticated by virtue of IKS of the Mishmi community”
t0“native trees”
Claim · model-written summary
Most native wild species occur through spontaneous germination allowed by poor homegarden management rather than deliberate planting.
Verbatim
e0“most of the native wild species exist in the rural homegardens not because they are planted/preferred but because they just happen to randomly grow there since most of the homegardens of tribal household are unmanaged or poorly managed, thereby giving way to wild species to germinate”
t0“native trees”